American driver Tanner Foust will drive a heavily modified version of the new Volkswagen ID 4 EV in the formidable Mexican 1000 Rally this year.
Modified by Rhys Millen Racing, the race-ready version of the ID 4 is based on the rear-wheel-drive production car and fitted with a top-notch 77 kWh (net) battery. The 201 hp powertrain, Volkswagen said, is completely unchanged.
However, the suspension and interior were significantly altered for the 1,141 mile race, in which the ID 4 is slated to “show off the capabilities and performance of an electric vehicle in an extreme environment”. Skid plates were installed to prevent damage to the batteries, and the heating and air conditioning systems gave way to a full roll bar, racing seats, and a racing telemetry display.
Rally shocks at every turn, the radiator has been raised for improved ground clearance, and the standard 19-inch wheels have been replaced with 18-inch items wrapped in off-road tires. The runner is two inches higher than Production ID 4.
Volkswagen has a rich history of racing in Baja – a Beetle-based Meyers Manx buggy won the inaugural event in 1967 – despite being its first fully electric entry.
The car will be recharged using a portable biofuel-powered device that fills a 50 kW fast charger. Tanner Foust Racing – the eponymous outfit behind the effort – plans to cover 98% of the stages without stopping to charge.
Rhys Millen, Head of Changes, said: “It takes a lot of confidence and preparation to present an original vehicle at the start line of a race like this, especially an electric car like the ID 4. .
“We were pleasantly surprised with the performance of the ID 4 on the pitch.”
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-04-23 15:30:51
